Getting in shape is difficult and time consuming for the average adult, especially in our fast-paced world of coffee, donuts, and snatching fast food lunches whenever you have five minutes away from running results on drug screening kits at work. For this reason, once you've gotten in shape, staying in shape often becomes one of your highest priorities. This is why buying a home close to a gym or fitness center in Arlington is important to many seeking new real estate. You'll be happy to know that gyms are everywhere in the city, and as far as fitness goes you're not limited to pumping iron in a pay-gym, either.
Gyms
As a primarily residential city with most of its residents using public transit and working in Washington, D.C. government jobs, the best place to find a gym is in the urban village centered around the metro station you use to get to work. That way, you have the option of going early and getting in a workout before work or stopping off on the way home from your xray shielding job at a Washington hospital to exercise away the stress of the day. There are twelve urban villages serving different subway stops, and each one has a branch of Gold's Gym in it. If you're a woman and you prefer to work out away from the leering eyes of men, try the Curves all-female gym on Wilson Boulevard.
Outdoor Exercise
There are more kinds of exercise in the world than you will find at your average health spa. After working inside all day some people like to get out in the open air for a solitary run in the park or a horse ride at the club for equestrian. London, Ontario, being relatively spread out, of course has lots of untouched wilderness, but Arlington, VA has had to work hard to maintain its parks. Arlington has over 1,100 acres of parkland ranging from the picnic areas, playgrounds, baseball fields, and walking trails in Victoria Highlands to the small splashes of greenery at the corner of North 18th and Lincoln where you can spread out a Yoga mat and relax. The city's bicycle commuter lanes can be used by recreational cyclists and there is also a dedicated public skate park in Arlington if you're a skater yourself or would like to learn.
Sports and Recreations Leagues and Programs
While some people like to work out alone, perhaps because they see too many people already just by living in Arlington or Toronto, hockey tournaments or pickup football games with their friends and colleagues are more to other people's liking. FitArlington is a city parks program that offers drop-in fitness programs where you can play basketball, badminton, soccer and other sports with like-minded adults. There are also adult leagues for ball hockey, basketball, dodgeball, flag football, ice hockey, kickball, rugby, soccer, softball, tennis, ultimate Frisbee, and volleyball. Often times, you can write the dues or class fees for your recreation classes up against your taxes for the fitness tax credit.
| 